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Thursday, May 31, 2007

Lights Out

We had a power interruption last night, which lasted for almost three hours. Good thing the weather was a bit colder than usual so Sandy just played in the dark. When the lights went out, we didn’t have any emergency lights that we can turn on right away so we used our cellphones to find some. I’m amazed how Sandy can move quickly in the dark and still manage to get some toys when I myself struggle to go from one place to another. She’s not afraid of the dark and just kept on singing and dancing the whole time.

The sound of thunder brought back memories of our milenyo days when we had to stay in a hotel for five days! We had no power, no water and the phone lines were dead. That was one stressful week and I pray to God that we don’t ever experience that again.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Talkies

Sandy knows the complete lyrics to twinkle twinkle little star and she sings them all the time. Even if we taught her that song word for word because she usually jumps from one stanza to another, I still can’t get over the fact that she can sing an entire song now. She’s also gotten so talkative that we need to be careful on what we say in front of her. She copies it all and repeats it a couple of times as if memorizing the words. She even said “arte mo!” to her Papa after hearing me say it a couple of times. She usually repeats the words where she gets more reaction so we just try to ignore it if she says something bad.

It rained this afternoon and she kept on saying “Raining, raining!’. Then she pulled her Ate Arlyn’s hand so they can go outside. She was babbling nonstop on their way to the door and when I leaned closer, I found out that she wasn’t babbling. She was singing “rain rain, go away. come again another day, little sandy wants to play” over and over. I was shocked because I don’t remember practicing that song with her. We just sing it to her from time to time and now she can sing it without any problems at all.

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Friday, May 25, 2007

Papa's Girl

She is. It’s sweet yet hard most of the time. Unlike me, hubby works in a real office and he’s out 10-12 hrs a day. I’m not really sure when it started exactly. She used to love only me! Haha. But now, Sandy wants to see her Papa all the time. When she wakes up, she’ll look on hubby’s bed and say “Papa, no more, opis” in a very sad voice. While playing then suddenly remembering something funny that she did with Papa, she’ll say “Papa, no more, opis?” in a hopeful voice. When she hears someone playing PS2, she’ll forcefully take my hand while saying, “Let’s call papa!!!” or “Go to Papa?”. Whenever she realizes that I’m not doing anything, she’ll make this “mukasim” face then cry and wail and shout until I give in and start “doing something”. And when I say do something, it means come up with several excuses why her Papa’s not here. She doesn’t want to hear the word “office” because that would mean there’s no way she can see him right that moment.

I find it sweet, really. Still, it breaks my heart a little that she gets sad and I can’t do anything to make her Papa appear. I can take the I’m-just-trying-your-patience wailings but the genuine I’m-so-sad-mommy cries are just so hard to bear.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

On Time Machines

I’d like to think that I have the ability to time travel. My time machine could be anything; a whiff of familiar cologne, music from the past, the sound of raindrops or even the smell of newly painted walls. Yesterday, it was the taste of my mom’s cooking that brought me back to my high school days. I still don’t have a yaya so my mom came over yesterday and cooked one of my favorite dishes, which is chicken curry. It tasted exactly as I remember that when I went to sleep that night, I dreamt about my life when I was still a teenager. It felt so real and vivid that I wanted to stay in bed for a couple more hours just so I can go back to that time. I saw myself walking from school one late afternoon. The sun is so bright and the trees seem so tall and green. There was a soft breeze and I laughed when I saw this naked 5-year-old kid taking a shower on one of the fire hydrants. He looked so happy as if nothing can ever go wrong. I can relate to him. I am happy that afternoon, blissfully so. Just walking on my own, enjoying the sun, kicking some dried leaves and humming a song. When I reached our house, I saw that the living room was a mess. My mom is a dressmaker so fabrics and patterns are everywhere. I can hear the sound of her electric sewing machine and it made me ache a bit because it was that exact moment when I realized that I’m just dreaming. That I’m just watching a scene that already happened and will never happen again. I miss coming home to my mom. Everything seems so comforting around her. To her constant nagging on how I should help around the house more. To her beautiful singing whenever she’s in the mood. To her delicious cooking and endless stories about her struggles, pain and joys.

How I love to go back when I can. Wouldn’t you?

Monday, May 21, 2007

Helpless

Whew, the weekend was so tiring! We had a trial run with Sandy’s yaya. Sandy liked her a lot and I can see that she’s good in taking care of kids. Around 6PM, she asked if she can get the rest of her clothes from her house which is about 20 minutes away from us. Three hours have passed and still no sign of her. We figured she’s not coming back anymore. I can’t find any reason why, though. She just sent a text message to one of our helpers telling her that she can’t come back anymore because of personal problems at home. It sucks, really. We waited for her for one week and didn’t consider any other applicants only to find out that she never really wanted to work. Our househelp is also on leave for two days. Good thing my mom is coming over to help me with Sandy today so I can get something done at work. She’s always just a text away, you know.

Again, this really sucks. I hope we can find a replacement soon because I don’t know how I can put my work on hold any longer.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

I am weak, weak, weak.

How do they do it? I’ve seen mothers wake up at 5am to prepare breakfast, take the kids to school and get ready to go to work via public transpo. Then after working for almost 10 hrs, they go home to prepare dinner and help the kids with their assignments yet still find enough time to talk to their husbands and have some quality cuddling. I guess they’re not called supermoms for nothing.

What are they taking? I need some. Even if I wake up 5x a night, it’s still no excuse why I’m so tired the whole day. Is it the heat? Is it the stress of having to deliver quality work when all I can do the whole day is think about sleeping? Is it Sandy’s constant need to play and sing and dance (which I love, btw) and breastfeed whenever she gets near my breast? I need some vitamins, vacation, serious pampering and whatnot.

How do you do it? I envy you, woman.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Lullaby

Did you see the commercial jingles of the candidates on TV? Well, they’re gone now but they are still fresh in Sandy’s memory. She loves them just as much as she loves any Barney song. Her top pick is the one from Manny Villar; it goes something like “Kay Manny Villar ka, sa sipag at tyaga….” It’s so hilarious seeing her dance to it. There are times when we’re playing and I will sing twinkle twinkle that she’ll say, “mama! sipa at tyaga!”. Then she’ll stand away from me, placing both her hands in front of her in preparation for the song. As soon as I start singing, she will laugh this oh-my-mommy-is-so-funny laugh and move her hands up and down while twisting her body downwards. Lately, she asks me to sing it to her at night. So obedient mommy will hum the manny villar jingle and lo and behold, she’s fast asleep in no time.

Weird kid. I love every minute.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

We slept through the night

Yep. That’s right. I drifted off to sleep around 11pm and when I opened my eyes, the clock says 6am. I think it was Sandy’s way of saying Happy Mother’s day to me. I think she woke up a couple of times but too sleepy to do any damage lol. I just hope she can start doing it every night. Or at least three times a week.

I saw from a thread that mother’s day is a mom’s day off. I have to disagree with that. It was never a day off for me. In fact, I can’t remember ever having a day off. We are going to my mom’s house tomorrow morning and in the afternoon we will probably go out again to have dinner with my mom-in-law. The in betweens will be spent taking care of Sandy because we don’t have a yaya. And everyone knows how terrible (but sweet) Sandy has become so I’m sure she’s going to be a handful.

I wish someone will step up and say,”hey Joy you deserve a break. Why don’t you pamper yourself and get a massage or something?” I know I can do that. I mean, the massage thing. But I would most likely end up thinking how Sandy’s doing while I’m gone that I won’t enjoy the massage.

Yeah, yeah I’m whining. On the eve of mother’s day. I have all the right to do what I want coz it’s my day. Don’t get me wrong. I love every bit of being a mom. I do.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Cheers to all mothers

I found time to scrap after all.

No matter how old or how successful we are, we will always need our mothers.



journalling:
the first nights with sandy were so hard. i haven't had any sleep for three days and I hurt my back trying to breastfeed. when you visited the third day, I can't help but break down and cry. you laughed at me and told me that everything's gonna be just fine. this photo was taken the night you slept over so you can take care of sandy.

you were right. sandy has grown up so fast and i'm proud to say that i've gotten better as a
mom. still ... just because i'm a mom, doesn’t mean I won’t be needing my own mom anymore.



Happy Mother's Day to all mommies!

Friday, May 11, 2007

quicky cutey

I haven't had time to scrap lately, what with all the design tasks/contests and paid post coming my way. Sandy's yaya, Ate Shel left us already so I really need to perfect my time management skills.

I saw this really cute QuickPage made from the In Memory of Miles Kit and decided to make a wallpaper for my desktop.



The TOU for the quickpage is to pay it forward so I'm gonna design a header for Jane's blog.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

One toddler bed please!

I've been neglecting my roles as a wife ever since Sandy came to our lives. Sherwin seems to understand but I know that there are times that he's feeling a bit left out or needs some attention as well. I don't prepare his food, pick his clothes, remove his shoes or give him a massage when he's tired. It's not that I don't want to; I just simply don't have the time. Taking a bath for more than 5 minutes is impossible, let alone fussing with my husband's stuff. It's only now that Sandy's a bit older that we get a chance to spend time alone again. That's why I never want him to miss dinner or breakfast on weekends because those are the times that we get to sit down and talk about what's happening on our lives. I miss my husband, I really do.

We are co-sleeping which means Sandy is always in the middle and since the little one moves a lot, poor hubby has been sleeping in a folding bed beside us. I used to love reaching out for him in the middle of the night. Now, if my body is still not tired from breastfeeding and working, I might try to stand and lie down on the other side of the bed just so I can touch any part of his body. If I'm lucky, he'd still be awake and we will snuggle together in his folding bed that might break anytime, while we talk about our day, catch up on gossip or just, you know.

I think he will agree when I say we've never felt this tired. We never seem to have enough energy at night. We feel really old that we can't stay up to 11PM. And when Sherwin is tired, he snores, a lot. When he snores, Sandy wakes up and the whole bedtime routine starts again. I never get to sleep at night. I have to watch and nudge hubby when he snores and most often than not, he does it the whole night until 6AM. Last night, I had to wake him up so he can transfer to the other room. I felt bad doing it but I've been awake for 19 hrs and I need to catch up on my sleep. It's hard for me to watch him stand up, groggily finding his way out. I'm just lucky he is who he is and that he understands and supports the parenting style that we chose.

Like I said, I miss him so much. We are just hoping that Sandy will sleep in her own bed, if not in her room when she reach her 2nd year so hubby and I can get to know each other again. ;)

Saturday, May 05, 2007

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Friday, May 04, 2007

Conversations with the Princess

Sandy talks a lot. She never ceases to amaze me on how she can put her sentences together.

While watching barney
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kids singing from the tv: wiggle waggle giggle gaggle wo ho ho when you're feeling happy.....
sandy: (with matching kick in the air) let it show!

after seeing the kids wash their hands
sandy: mama! (giggling) wash your hands?

looking around the room
sandy: mama? no more papa! papa opis?

Whenever her lola comes home
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sandy: wowa, emove shoes (remove shoes)
sandy: wowa, change dress

to the househelp
sandy: ate ging, massage wowa's feet

She also loves to sing
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Her voice is sooooo cute

sandy: tinkle tinkle little ....
mama: twinkle twinkle little ... ?

sandy: sta...r

sandy: haway ande ...
mama: how i wonder what you ...

sandy: are!

sandy: apabab ....
mama: up above the world so ......?

sandy: high

mama: like a diamond in the?

sandy: sky

We used to ask Sandy questions that has a definite yes answer to teach her the difference between yes and no. (ex: do you like cake? do you like juice? do you wanna go outside?)

I think she mastered it when one afternoon, she saw one of the helpers getting ice cream and probably wondered why we didn't ask her if she wanted any. We went upstairs and I heard her talking to herself.

Here's what she was saying
--------------------------------
sandy: sandy? want ay kim?
(after a long pause)
sandy: ...... yes!

again in a louder voice, hoping that mommy will hear

sandy: sandy!! want ay kim??
(after a long pause)
sandy: ...... yes!! (looking at my face this time lol)

Kawawa naman hehe.

I know she's unsure of what she's about to say whenever I hear her whisper the words slowly as if practicing.
sandy: mama, put.......on...put....on.....put...it....
(after practicing for 5-8 secs)
sandy: mama, put it on!

sandy: go..to....go...to...wowa.....
sandy: mama! go to wowa's room!

Praying
------------------
While teaching her the sign of the cross

mama: in the name of the father, and of the son
sandy: oly, spirit, amen!

Her ABCs
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She doesn't know the difference between the letters. When asked about the letter A,

mama: sandy, what letter is this? (holding the A card)
sandy: A!
mama: good job!
sandy: B! C! D! E!

wahhhh

mama: sandy, what letter is this? (holding W)
sandy: dabolyu
mama: yehey!!
sandy: eks! way! zii! (X,Y,Z)

kweng kweng

Just last night
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Her ninong gave her a cupcake but it was already bedtime so I told her she can eat it tomorrow.

sandy: (in a very sweet voice): mama? eat this now.

She saw her hi-5 dvd, opened it and saw that it was empty
sandy:(in a big surprised voice): no cd!

She also knows tagalog of course
----------------------------------
sandy: (while playing with her fingers, trying to form a circle using her forefinger and middle finger) mama!
mama: yes...
sandy: mama!!
mama: yes, I can see that. good job!
sandy: (frustrated) ganunin mo!!!!

It turned out she wanted me to do the same thing bwahahaha.

Sandy hit her elbow while playing.
sandy: sakit!
mama: wawa baby! where?
sandy: mama nasaktan?

It's just so amazing. They can't seem to stop crying months ago because we can't understand what they want to say, now they just can't stop talking.